ENERGY

Shareholders approve Western Canadian Coal/Cambrian Mining merger

Thursday , 25 Jun 2009
The merger of Western Canadian Coal and Cambrian Mining will offer coal marketing advantages as well as increased liquidity.

Teck ups '09 coal sales guidance, citing ‘significant' Chinese sale increases

Monday , 22 Jun 2009
Teck has cancelled planned temporary coal production shutdowns at several operations in order to meet increased Chinese demand.

Venezuela's PDVSA to take 49% stake in Dominican Rep refinery

Monday , 15 Jun 2009
Venezuela's oil minister said the state firm PDVSA is taking a 49% stake in the Refidomsa oil refinery in the Dominican Republic, while the Dominican Republic has just bought out Royal Dutch Shell's majority position.

Obama Administration tightens the screws on mountaintop coal mining

Friday , 12 Jun 2009
While the Obama Administration did not outright ban mountaintop mining-to the dismay of environmental activists-Appalachian coal mining faces even tougher regulatory challenges ahead.

China's Shanxi Province considers coal futures bourse

Thursday , 04 Jun 2009
China hopes to establish a coal futures exchange to obtain more rights on international pricing.

Congress, coal miners push Corps of Engineers, EPA to act on mining permits

Tuesday , 02 Jun 2009
An Obama Administration de facto moratorium on the processing of coal mining permits--brought about by clean water concerns--has congressional representatives and coal mining associations frustrated and concerned about future projects.

Welsh anthracite coal mine rising from the ashes and already in profit

Monday , 01 Jun 2009
AIM quoted Energybuild is redeveloping old Welsh anthracite mines with a profitable mixture of open pit and underground mining and plans to substantially increase production between now and 2011.

Alaska Platform could maintain flow of Alaska oil ‘for many years to come'

Monday , 01 Jun 2009
The USGS says the Arctic continental shelves constitute "one of the world's largest remaining prospective areas" and suggest the area is "increasingly attractive for development."

Is China headed for coal production overcapacity?

Monday , 25 May 2009
China's voracious energy demands notwithstanding, a China Coal Industry official suggests a trend for overcapacity may be emerging.

Four "new" entrants to world's top 100 mining stocks - the oil miners

Thursday , 21 May 2009
Introducing Suncor, Petro-Canada, Canadian Oil Sands Trust, and Sasol, all miners, at heart.

Western Canadian Coal and Cambrian Mining to be combined

Thursday , 21 May 2009
The Cambrian Coal acquisition will help Western Canadian Coal create a more diversified miner with operations in three nations.

Oops! Confidential Australian negotiations reveal China uranium export plan

Thursday , 14 May 2009
Confidential treaty negotiations which were mistakenly made public reveal Australia plans to increase uranium sales to China.

Crandall Canyon disaster settlement reportedly exceeds $22m Utah record

Wednesday , 13 May 2009
Crandall Canyon, Utah mining disaster families and mine owners have reportedly reached a record settlement in the 2007 coal mine collapse, which ultimately resulted in nine deaths and seriously injured six other victims.

Foundation Coal acquisition will make Alpha 3rd largest U.S. coal miner

Wednesday , 13 May 2009
Alpha Natural Resources and Foundation Coal Holdings say a proposed merger will position the larger company to benefit from an anticipated rebound in coal demand.

Ukrainian company buys major U.S. coal miner

Friday , 01 May 2009
Ukraine's Metinvest copies Russian companies by buying into U.S. coal miner United Coal. No price announced but analysts reckon deal would be worth $1 - $1.4 billion.

Haywood raises Teck target price by $4.25 to $11/sh

Friday , 17 Apr 2009
While this year's coal contract negotiations and refinancing a $5.8 million bridge facility remain the primary concerns for Teck, Haywood Securities believes Teck should achieve its financial goals.

Crown Butte gold mine legacy may generate $1.4 billion for Montana schools

Tuesday , 14 Apr 2009
Vast state-owned coal reserves in southeastern Montana could generate $1.4 billion for Montana schools over 40 years if the property is developed for mining.

Peabody, Polo Resources announce huge Mongolian coal joint venture

Thursday , 02 Apr 2009
U.S. mega-coal miner Peabody says it has expanded its Mongolian coal interest through a joint venture with Polo Resources, which is seeking to refocus its interests on uranium.

Humans causing climate change - fact or fiction?

Monday , 30 Mar 2009
Emissions trading schemes and carbon trading are putting a heavy burden on energy costs as governments try to force reductions in carbon emissions - but are they justified? There are doubters out there.

Massive Mozambique coal mine launched by Vale

Saturday , 28 Mar 2009
Brazil's Valw will produce 11 million tonnes of coal a year from its big Mozambique coal project at Moatize where mine construction has begun.

A flight from an Australian gold flop to South Africa's coal fields

Wednesday , 18 Mar 2009
A company that hit the mining wall long before the global share market melt down is re-inventing itself as a new player in the coal fields of South Africa - following the footsteps of an earlier struggling Perth gold junior that now is a significant South African player called Coal of Africa Ltd (ASX; CZA).

Anglo American's energy challenges and strategies

Wednesday , 11 Mar 2009
Samantha Hoe-Richardson, head of Anglo American's Energy Strategy group, gave a meeting in London an insight into the energy challenges faced by a mining major.

U.S. stimulus package may have left coal in the cold

Wednesday , 11 Mar 2009
The stimulus package that President Obama signed into law didn't have much to cheer up anyone with coal interests, meaning coal capture and storage technology may still not be economically realistic.

Major Australian coal miners agree 44% price cut with Japan's Chubu Electric

Tuesday , 10 Mar 2009
The first major coal export deal between the big Australian coal miners and Japanese utilities as seen an agreed price cut of 44% setting the pattern for ensuing contract negotiations.

S&P places Arch Coal on CreditWatch because of Jacobs Ranch deal

Tuesday , 10 Mar 2009
The decision of Arch Coal to buy Rio Tinto's Jacobs Ranch coal mine has prompted S&P to place Arch on CreditWatch with a possibility of downgrading the coal company's credit ratings.